model groups vs linked models (2019)

[jledgewood409]

i am part of a team at our firm that is beginning our first hotel in revit. there is a debate as to have the different room types as model groups or as linked models. i would love to hear everyone's pro's & con's for both.

[barthbradley]

Let me throw this into the discussion: Groups can be turned into Links later on.  

...Links can be turned into Groups too.  

...point is: the decision as to whether or not to use Links can come later.  You don't need to break up the Project initially -- if at all.  

[martijn_pater]

Is this going to be a worksharing project where you'll be working and developing the room types simultanously? Because then there's something to be said for using links I think. You have plenty of options to control visibility graphics for the linked files also. In a central file though groups are very similar actually, I think above remark is a good one 🙂 But you can control VG for links easier/better then groups I think? FWIW Groups might be easier to edit in the project depending how comfortable you are with working with linked files. You could always start Revit twice though to open linked file simultanously on one station as the main project.

[RDAOU]

@jledgewood409 

I would give preference to Links and Worksets…

Whichever workflow you decide to adopt, do it at the early stage of the design and do not wait till a late stage of the project in order to avoid tedious and redundant work

[jledgewood409]

Sorry I forgot to mention that YES it is a worksharing model. the co-worker who started the project created the rooms as revit links. I have found it time consuming to go back an forth between the room links and the central model. I believe the group method is the way to go. I need some pro's and con's for each to sell to the team.

[martijn_pater]

---

@jledgewood409 wrote:

I have found it time consuming to go back an forth between the room links and the central model. 

---

You can open Revit twice to open the room next to the central model, without unloading.

[RDAOU]

@jledgewood409 

This is a topic which can take hours of discussions...and there several factors to consider such as the workflow of different disciplines in your firm/department, the size of the project...etc. Some advantages of Links:

• More Visibility and graphics options and possibilities
• Do not bloat and slow down your model
• gives you a fail safe and a more secure disaster recovery
• you can use Copy/Monitor (considering changes to host elements floor/wall which can effect the room units)
• More flexibility if setting out to shared coordinates instead of moving, nudging and realigning group origins
• Gives you an additional layer to Design Options
• More flexibility working with a unit as 3D models
• Advantage to have mirrored links vs new model groups for mirrored units to avoid issues with hosted elements

Side Note: if you are using model groups and later in the future you decide to switch to links watch out for the annotation and tags (you will lose them) 

….Maybe someone else who recommends Model Groups can tell you the cons of that workflow

[Karol_Piroska]

I'd say definitely no to groups - Revit does not handle groups very well and the "fix group error message" can drive one crazy.

[ToanDN]

- Room interior partitions, ceilings, finish flooring, doors, windows, fixture, equipment, furniture... can be kept in a link.  You can have one link for each unit type.

- Exterior walls, corridor walls, demising walls, and doors/windows in those walls should be in the main model(s).

[Anonymous]

Who won? It would be nice to know which route you took

[barthbradley]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Who won? 

---

SPOILER ALERT...

Rocky Balboa won.